Circuit controller



2 `Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Jlrahamlhezier ATTORNEYS f f A 1 W .anni

Sept. 1, 1931. A. J. SHEKTER CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed May 10 1929 A. J. SHEKTER CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Sept. 1,1931.v

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 10. 1929 INVENTOR JlahamJS/eh'ler ATTORNEYS NESSES Patented Sept. l, 1931 UNITED STATES ABRAHAM J. SHEKTER, 0F JAMAICA, NEW YORK CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Application filed May 10, 1929. Serial No. 362,041.

This invention relates to circuit controllers.

The present invention particularly relates to time-controlled circuit controllers which are adapted for use lin connection with heating devices of the oil burning type, in which electrical motors are employed and in which time-controlled actuation of the motors is dcsired.

It' is among the objects of the present invention to provide a circuit controller of novel and improved design which is simple and eicient in construction and operation and well designed to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a time-controlled circuit controller by means of which the duration of the circuit control may be readily varied.

` A further object of the present invention is to provide in a circuit controller a time-controlled hand and means for associating the hand with an electrical contact and means for varying the duration of the association of said hand with said contact.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved time-Com trolled three-way circuit controller.

"A still further object of the present invention is to provide a time-controlled circuit controller including a clock-controlled hand and a plurality of contact plates movably associated beneath said hand for control association therewith.

Other objects of the present invention include the combination and interrelation of parts whereby the whole forms a novel and improved construction simple in design and operation. V

Still further objects of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of lthat form of the inventionshown in Fig. 1, with portions broken away;

Fig. 3 'is a view of the top segmental plate;

Fig. 4 is a view of the intermediate segmental plate;

Fig. 5 is a view of the lower segmental plate; Fig. 6 is a conducting ring forming part of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the plate and ring assemblies in conjunction with the timecontrolled hand;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing various adustable positions of the segmental plates, an

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the plates and the associated circuit therefor.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 9 of the drawings, it will be seen that the invention is particularly adapted for association in three conductor circuits for electrical oil burners. One form of circuit which may be utilized in connection with the present invention is as shown in said ligure, and includes a suitable source of potential 10, connected by means of a conductor 11 with a time-controlled arm 12 upon which a contact member 13 is mounted.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the arm 12 is carried upon a shaft 14 which is adapted to be moved by clock mechanism or the like within a suitable casing 15. It will be understood that the mechanism for rotating the shaft 14 at any desired time-controlled speed, forms no part of the present invention and has been shown as a conventional alarm clock structure.

In the present invention the usual face of the alarm clock is substituted by an insulated face member 16 upon which is mounted on annular conducting ring 17, which has been shown in detail in Fig. 6 and which is provided with suitable apertures 18 for the reception therethrough of securing members for retaining the same in position upon the face 16.

Also mounted upon the face member 16 for rotational movement about the shaft 14, three plates are provided, each of which has co-operating segmental extensions. The plates include an upper fixed plate Q0, as shown in Fig. 3, the plate including securing apertures` 21 and three segmental projections 22, the side edges of which are beveled to form a camming surface in conjunction with similar bevels on the segmental extensions o'l the associated plates for the contact member 13. Mounted directly under the plate 20, a similar movable plate 23 which includes segi'nental extensions 2-l, the sides of which are beveled. The width of the eXtensions 24C is slightly larger than the width ol? j the projections 22, whereby the beveled sioes of the two members will, when the members are registered, conform to provide a cam surface. The plate 29 has associated with one of its extensions 2l, an insulated actuating extension 25 which is adapted Vto entend through a suitable aperture in the clock casing to provide for adjustment of the position of the plate i Directly under the plate 23 butin insulated relation to the ring 17, a similar plate 26 is provided, havingl wide projections 27, the beveled sides of which conform to the beveled sides of the projections 22 and 24, to form a full cam surface, as Yshown in the top sectional view ot' Fig. 8. The member 26 is further provided with a pin 28, which is adapted to be received within an arcuate aperture 29 of the plate 23, whereby limited n'iovement between the plates 23 and 26 may take place and whereby extended movement 'of the plate 23 by the extension 25 will move the plate 26 with it, the arrangement being such that as shown in Fig.V 8, the plate 23 may be moved out from between the plates 2O and 26 to approximately .double the sur- 'face contacted by the member 13 in its rotation by the shaft 1l. The arrangement further provides that. if desired, the plate 23 may be moved further out bringing with. it the plate 26, thus tripling the contact area of the member 13 with respect to the plates 20, 23 and 26, the latter position being shown at the bottom of Fig. 8, and which is preferably one-third of the are covered by the member 13, whereby the three projections provided when in the position shown in Fig. 8, willcompletelycover the ringT 17. Again referring to F 9, it will be seen that the ring 17 is associated through suitable conductor 30 with one pole 31 ot a switch 32, the arrangement being` such that when the switch arm 32A is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the circuit will be completed from the ring 17 through the conductor 30 to a conductor which preferably goes to the motor of the oil burner. It will further be seen that the plates are electrically associated for contact during all their adjusted positions and that the upper plate 2O is associated by a conductor 34 with a post of the switch 32, whereby with the switch in the position shown the circuit will be completed from the plates through the conductor 34 and a conductor 36 starts the motor. The con-ductor 33 is also associated with the motor control ot' the oil burner, whereby the op-eration of the motor will be stopped when the circuit is completed thereto through the ring 17 and conductor 34.

rlhe switch 32 is also provided with posts 37 and 38 which may be electrically associ.- ated by moven'ient of the arm The conductors 33 and 36 and the posts 37 and 38 are associated with conductors 39 and 40, respectively, which lead to a thermostat 41, and which is associated with a source of potential 10, by a conductor ft2, the arrangement being such that, if desired, the circuit to the motor may be controlled by any suitable thermostatic device, or, if desired, the

circuit may be controlled though the structure of the present invention as hei-einbefore described.

In the operation of the present invention,

it will be understood that a clock mechanism 36 and will pass trom the plates to the ring 1T and complete the circuit to the conductor lt will be understood that the adjusted position of the plates will determine the length of duration ot energization of the motor lirough the respective conductors 33 and 36.

ln connection wth the present invention it will be seen that a general circuit controller for the Contact 13 may be provided. This may preferably be operated by the alarm mechanism whereby at a predetermined time the circuit to the contact 13 may be closed or opened by the alarm mechanism.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the invention is not confined to the speeiic structural details herein shown and that numerous changes and modifications and the i'ull use of equivalents may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

lhat is claimed is:

1. In a circuit controller, the combination with a time-controlled arm and Contact caru ried thereby, of a pair of conductors, and means for successively connecting said contact with said conductors, said means including contact ring, and a plurality of independently movable contact plates electricali ly insulated therefrom.

able to vary the area of said ring covered thereby.

3. In a circuit controller, the combination with a time-controlled arm and contact carried thereby, of a pair of conductors, and means for successively connecting said contact with said conductors, said means including a contact ring, a plurality of contact plates electrically insulated therefrom, said plates being positioned between said ring and said contact, some of said plates being movable to vary the area of said ring covered thereby, and means forming a limited movement coupling between said movable plates, movable plates being coupled for lost motion respective movement.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a housing and clock train therein, including a time-controlled arm; of a contact carried by said arm, a conducting ring adapted for periodic electrical association with said contact, and means for controlling the duration of electrical association of said ring with said Contact, said means including a plurality of plates between said ring and said contact.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a housing and clock train therein, including a time-controlled arm; of a contact carried by said arm, a conducting ring adapted for periodic electrical association With said contact, and means for controlling the duration of electrical association of said ring with said contact, said means including a plurality of plates between said ring and said contact, said plates having projecting segments extending over said ring and said plates being movable to vary the area of said ring covered by said segments.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a housing and clock train therein, including a time-controlled arm: of a contact carried by said arm, a conducting ring adapted for periodic electrical association with said Contact, and means for controlling the duration of electrical associa tion of said ring with said contact, said means including a plurality of plates between said ring and said contact, said plates being movable'to completely cover said ring.

7 In a device of the character described, the combination with a housing and clock train therein, including a time-controlled arm; of a Contact carried by said arm, a conducting ring adapted for periodic electrical association with said contact, and means for controlling the duration of'electrical association of said ring with said contact, said means including a plurality of plates between said ring and said contact, said plates having projecting segments extending over said ring, said segments being movable to overlie each other to provide maximum duration of electrical association of said contact with said ring.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a housing and clock train therein, including a time-controlled arm; of a contact carried by said arm, a conducting ring adapted for periodic electrical association with said contact, and means for controlling the duration of electrical association of said ring with said contact, said means including a plurality of plates between said ring and said Contact, said plates having projecting segments extending over said ring, said segments having beveled sides to provide a camming surface for said contact.

9. In a circuit controller, the combination with a time controlled arm and contact carried thereby, of an annular conductor plate, a plate positioned above said conductor plate having contact segments projecting therefrom, said contact segments being insulated from said first named conductor plate, an additional segmental plate positioned above said segmental plate for electrical engagement withv said segmental plate, a lost motion connection between said last named plates, a third segmental conductor plate positioned above said last named plates, and means for positioning said segmental plates for varying the length of contact, as desired.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 7th day of May, A. I). 1929.

ABRAHAM J. SHEKTER. 

